The Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder would hardly be complaining about the early results from this year's NBA Draft, such has been the early impact and impression made by Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara.
Nevertheless, injury and health issues have created a cruel and ironic twist where the two teams, having selected 11th and 12th in the lottery, actually drafted for opposite needs.
Warriors and Thunder drafted opposite needs in Yaxel Lendeborg-Aday Mara twist
Mara was dominant in preseason and got his first real major opportunity on Monday against the Phoenix Suns, recording an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double while adding two blocks and two assists in just 20 minutes of action.
But as good as Mara looks, he'll remain behind Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and perhaps too Jaylin Williams in the Thunder's big man rotation. Their wing/forward combination, on the other hand, has been dealt a horror blow with a likely season-ending injury to star forward Jalen Williams. They could also be without Cason Wallace for the entire season after a shoulder injury, and now Alex Caruso is set for time on the sidelines with an ankle sprain.
Mara might become an even better player than Lendeborg in the future, but based on where they're at right now and the state of their roster a week into the season, Oklahoma City may regret not trading up for the 6'9" forward. The Thunder are in the hunt for championships right now, and it's hard not to think about the impact Lendeborg could have made for them this season, particularly after Williams' injury.
Golden State aren't facing any such reget. They're a Play-In team looking to address multiple issues and simply find really good players. Lendeborg is already that, having burst out of the blocks to become easily their second-best player while Jimmy Butler remains out through injury.
Warriors would have really utilized Aday Mara during his rookie year
If there is a desperate hole the Warriors need to fix though, it's their center position as they continue without the absent Kristaps Porzingis who may never play again. Golden State have been left with a 36-year-old Draymond Green as a small-ball five, and with 40-year-old Al Horford coming off the bench.
Mara could have been both a short and long-term solution. He'd be almost certainly getting more minutes than he will at the Thunder during his rookie year, and he will have offered the Warriors a far better and higher upside option than Charles Bassey and Graham Ike.
There's irony that the two teams selected back-to-back and drafted for opposite needs, but again, the Warriors won't be complaining whatsoever after Lendeborg's extraordinary start to his career.
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